This study compares peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and exercise efficiency in upper-body poling versus arm crank ergometry in trained able-bodied and paraplegic participants.

Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and exercise efficiency are key factors for endurance performance. In persons who are primarily able to use their upper-body during exercise, such as many Paralympic athletes, the mode most commonly used in assessing VO2peak and efficiency is arm crank ergometry (ACE). However, sport-specificity of the test mode has been suggested to be of importance for achieving VO2peak and exercise efficiency that are reflective of the aerobic capacity in the respective sport. For ice sledge hockey players, cross-country sit skiers and sitting biathletes, upper-body poling (UP) is the most sport-specific test mode. However, it has not yet been investigated whether VO2peak and efficiency differ between ACE and UP. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare VO2peak and exercise efficiency in upper-body poling versus arm crank ergometry in trained able-bodied and paraplegic participants. Participants performed four 5-min submaximal stages at increasing effort and an incremental peak test to exhaustion in both ACE and UP.

Inclusion Criteria:

• participants between the age of 18 and 50
• well upper-body-trained participants with or without paraplegia

Exclusion Criteria:

• people with injuries or sicknesses that might have impacted the testing

All data will be de-identified by the project coordinator. The de-identified data will be stored on the NTNU server in a folder that only the JKB and ØS have access to. For analysing the data, parts of the de-identified data might be distributed amongst the four researchers and two master students linked to this study.

September 2016-May 2017